Director Stone Turns on Critics of 'Gay' Alexander

[Khephra]

LONDON (Reuters) - Director Oliver Stone turned on American critics and audiences on Wednesday, saying they had focused solely on the issue of homosexuality in "Alexander," his big-budget epic that portrays the Macedonian hero as bisexual.

He also blamed the U.S. invasion of Iraq for the movie's poor performance at the box office, arguing that people were distracted by comparisons between Alexander the Great's forays into the Middle East and President Bush.

"The homosexuality thing was a buzzword and got all around," Stone told Reuters Television in London at the film's British premiere. "It was a hot button issue and I think it got overblown. 'Alexander the Gay' -- I mean, it's ridiculous."

Greek lawyers had threatened to sue Warner Bros and Stone for depicting Alexander the Great as bisexual, but dropped efforts to have the film banned after admitting that it did not contain the explicit scenes they had feared.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=peopleNews&storyID=7248164

[edbermac]

1. Hey Ollie, it wasn't a 'gay thing'...it was a 'suck-ass movie' thing...

Get ready to pick up your truckload of Razzie awards in a few months...

[saltpoint]

2. Stone has a point.

Well, he has two points.

It wouldn't have been that great to have a "Crusades" undertone, and without question, a lot of people squirm when sexual variance is shown on film.

To hell with both camps. Stone's film wasn't the film it could have been, but it wasn't flawed because of either of those themes.

[puddycat]

3. I think his movie flopped because it sucked n/t

[AngryLizard]

4. Alexander was a horrible, no good, very bad movie

So bad that my husband and I walked out after 45 minutes.
So bad that we got our money back.
Stone has a lot of nerve talking about the homosexuality in the film, when he didn't even have the balls to really explore it. Innuendo and longing looks does not groundbreaking cinema make. "The only wrestling defeat Alexander ever suffered was between Phinnaeus'thighs." Say what, now? I'll take Alexander's homosexuality seriously if you do, Mr. Stone.

The plotting was horrible(you know you're screwed when the first 10 minutes of a movie is Anthony Hopkins talking to you about people and places and events that you know nothing about, plus you're never really told who he is, either!)

The dialogue was laughable.
The acting was unbe-freaking-lievable. Someone please, please stop giving Colin Farrel acting roles until he learns how to act. Angeline Jolie screeched and smouldered through that whole movie, and don't even get me started on her accent - why was she the only one with an accent? Val Kilmer, seriously, I don't know what the hell he was doing, but it had something to do with imitating someone's cranky uncle.

If you haven't figured it out, yet, I REALLY didn't like this movie.

[Malikshah]

5. After just suffering through Troy...(precursor of Alexander doom)

Uh...let me ask all the would be directors to do a couple of things

1) Get actors who can act-- the trailer w/ Farrell riding into battle only elicits giggles from me--he looks as if he just sat on a tack.
Not even going to touch Brad Pitt as Achilles...

2) Read some fucking history and remain true to it.

3) In the end don't do it-- you're not up to it. Here's a thought--come up with an original story. Wow--creative thought-- what a money concept....

[Feathered Fish]

6. Tangential...

I'll miss ya Kheph.